Spiritual Gifts: What They Are, How To Identify Yours And How To Use Them

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Spiritual Gifts. As believers, we were given spiritual gifts when the Holy Spirit entered us. Each of us, however, as created by God to be unique individuals, have unique gifts. Identifying your spiritual gifts and understanding them is key to learning where God would have you serve His people and where you will find joy.

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2:10

And in 1 Corinthians 12:1:

Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. – 1 Corinthians 12:1

What Are Spiritual Gifts

Before we explore the spiritual gifts, let’s first explore what spiritual gifts are NOT:

Natural aptitudes, strengths or abilities.

We all have natural abilities that we’ve learned from those around us regardless of Christian faith. Many times our natural abilities and strengths are redeemed by the Lord to become spiritual gifts.

2. Character Traits

We are all called to have character and our gifts should produce the nature of Jesus Christ in each persona. A person should not say he has the “gift of peace” when we are all encouraged to develop that characteristic. Spiritual gifts offer opportunities for us to exemplify Christ.

3. Titles or positions

Spiritual gifts often lead to titles or positions but a person may have the gifts without the role or the role without the gift. Regardless, we should serve whenever we are given the opportunity. Working in the area of your gifting will allow you to be the person that God has called you to be rather than just doing good things.

4. Self-promoting

Spiritual gifts are endowments given by God to His people for accomplishing His purpose on earth. Spiritual gifts are given for the glory of God.

How do you receive spiritual gifts?

Accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior

Acquire faith and truth in the area of spiritual gifts

Apply yourself to learning about spiritual gifts

Ask the Lord to give you spiritual gifts

First, you must be a Christian and therefore one in whom the Holy Spirit dwells. Second, you must be doing the work of Christ, or, at any rate, be readily available for that work. You won’t receive spiritual gifts by locking yourself in the closet and praying for them until they show up, though it is certainly appropriate to ask God for the gifts you need. You won’t receive spiritual gifts if you live as a Christian couch potato, watching the action but never getting involved. You will receive extra bits of grace for ministry only when you step out in faith to minister.

How do you know what your spiritual gifts are?

Of course, you can pray and ask God to reveal them to you. You can also take a spiritual gifts assessment.

Here are some online spiritual gifts assessments that you can take if you are interested in learning what your spiritual gifts are:

The divine strength or ability to plan, build and work with your hands in construction environments to accomplish multiple ministry applications (some tests also consider craftiness and artistry in this gift).

Ability to work with your hands crafting materials such as wood, cloth, metal, stone, paint, paper or glassEnjoy the process of creating and seeing the results of the laborEnjoy seeing this gift meeting a tangible need in ministryAbility to make things that improve the effectiveness of others’ ministriesCreative/Practical/Designer/Handy/Helpful/Resourceful/Behind-the-scenes

The divine strength or ability to produce wealth and to give by tithe and offerings for the purpose of advancing the Kingdom of God on earth.

Desire to give toward growth in God’s KingdomDoes not seek fanfare and recognitionMay have a special ability to make money and therefore able to give more to GodEffective in managing their moneyGenerous giving brings real joy to their livesSacrificial/Informed/Disciplined/Resourceful/Charitable

The divine strength or ability to pray in a heavenly language to encourage your spirit and to commune with God. The gift of tongues is often accompanied by interpretation and should be used appropriately.

This is a miraculous or “sign” gift

Can be used as a personal prayer language

Speaking a language that the speaker has never learned before

Can be used to deepen their relationship with God

Used with the gift of interpretation of tongues can encourage those who hear it

Now that you know what your spiritual gifts are, what’s next?

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At most of the churches I’ve been a member of since I was saved, the church had a formal process regarding spiritual gifts. Usually, taking a spiritual gifts assessment during a new member class then meeting with a pastor to get plugged in to ministry opportunities where members could use their spiritual gifts.

If your church doesn’t offer this, take one of the spiritual gifts assessments above and spend time in prayer asking God how you are called to use the gifts given to you by the Holy Spirit.

Meet with your pastor and ask for his advice on where you can serve the body of Christ to use your spiritual gifts.

Spiritual gifts are often used to serve the church and the church body, but you may also wish to use your gifts outside of your church home such as volunteering, starting a Bible study in your home, praying for neighbors and friends, sharing the gospel, starting a card ministry. The way in which you can use your spiritual gifts are endless.

If you try one ministry opportunity and it doesn’t feel right, try another.

Ask God to reveal to you your spiritual gifts and where He would have you use them.

I recently retook the spiritual gifts assessment and found that I had four dominant spiritual gifts:

Administration

Craftsmanship

Faith

Knowledge

All make perfect sense as a Christian author and speaker and mixed media and paper artist.

Have you taken a spiritual gifts assessment? What are your spiritual gifts? How are you using them? Tell me in the comments below or email me at: sue@womanofnoblecharacter.com – I’d love to hear about it!

Susan is a writer, speaker and the creator of Women of Noble Character ministries. She is passionate about helping Christian women live a Proverbs 31 life in today’s world. The Lord laid upon her heart to serve women to grow in Christ, improve their marriages and manage their homes stress-free. She provides tools and resources on her website for Christian women to grow in their faith, deepen their relationship with their husbands and manage their homes well.

She lives in rural North Central Missouri with her handsome and hilarious husband and a myriad of dogs, cats and chickens.

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Meet Susan

Susan is a writer, speaker and the creator of Women of Noble Character ministries. She is passionate about helping Christian women live a Proverbs 31 life in today’s world. The Lord laid upon her heart to serve women to grow in Christ, improve their marriages and manage their homes stress-free. She provides tools and resources on her website for Christian women to grow in their faith, deepen their relationship with their husbands and manage their homes well.

She lives in rural North Central Missouri with her handsome and hilarious husband and a myriad of dogs, cats and chickens.

Susan runs on Jesus, coffee and not enough sleep.

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